After a Georgia car accident, it is important to find an attorney who can represent your case and help you secure the compensation you deserve. With so many options available, however, selecting the best lawyer to handle your case can be a challenge. When attending consultations with car accident attorneys, asking a few key questions can help you determine whether or not a lawyer is the right fit for your claim.
What Areas Do You Specialize In?
Just like you would not want a podiatrist to perform your brain surgery, you do not want an attorney without relevant experience to handle your car accident claim. Lawyers specialize in different practice areas, including criminal defense, product liability, and personal injury. Each type of attorney brings a specific wealth of knowledge, experience, and resources that he or she can apply to your claim.
For this reason, it is important to assess your attorney’s legal experience and ask about his or her areas of specialty. Ask the lawyer about his or her car accident experience specifically and ask questions about how he or she handled claims similar to yours. This can help you gain a clear picture of the lawyer’s experience and determine whether he or she could handle your claim.
How Much Do You Charge?
Before hiring a lawyer, it is important to have a clear understanding of the firm’s fee arrangement. Some car accident lawyers do charge an hourly rate or require a retainer. However, many personal injury lawyers understand that injured clients often do not have a lot of money to spend on legal fees. For this reason, contingency fee arrangements are popular.
Under a contingency fee agreement, you will not pay legal fees unless the attorney secures compensation in your case. If you do recover an award, the firm will take an agreed-upon percentage as payment, limiting your out-of-pocket costs. When hiring an attorney, ask about his or her fee arrangement to ensure that the firm can work with you and your budget.
How Long Will It Take to Resolve My Case?
When discussing your case with an injury lawyer in Augusta, ask him or her how long it will take to resolve your case. While many factors may affect the duration of your case, your lawyer should still be able to provide you with a general estimate based on his or her past experience. If your lawyer seems unsure of the answer, cannot reference past case examples, or makes promises about your case duration, he or she may not be the best option.
Your lawyer should be capable of providing a well-informed, careful estimate about your case timeline and explain each of the steps involved in the case process. If your attorney is unable to do so, he or she may not have the experience or the knowledge necessary to handle your case.
Keep in mind that some cases are highly complex and require further investigation, so your attorney may not be able to provide an answer right away. However, he or she should still be able to explain how different factors could affect your case.
If you are involved in a car accident in Georgia, it is important to contact a lawyer as soon as possible. Navigating the car accident claims process can be complex, and you need someone who can advocate for your best interests each step of the way. Contact an Augusta car accident lawyer as soon as possible following your collision to discuss your case.
